WORLD’S LONGEST WATERSLIDE DUE TO OPEN THIS SUMMER

BY GABRIELLE

At more than 1km in length, the world’s longest waterslide is due to open in Malaysia this summer. Riders will take a full four minutes to slide down the 1,140-metre attraction.

The slide winds through a slope covered in natural trees on the Malaysian island of Penang. The slide will be a new feature of the island’s Escape Theme Park, which is home to zipwires and obstacle courses.

The new waterslide is to be 500 metres longer than the current longest waterslide, located in Action Park, New Jersey.

Unlike the New Jersey giant waterslide, which is inflatable, the Malaysian slide will be a permanent feature of the waterpark, made from fibre-reinforced polymer.

The slide will also feature a cable car that carries riders to the top of the attraction so they can whiz back down again.

Sim Choo Kheng, CEO of Sim Leisure Group, which operates Escape Park in Penang, commented about the slide in a statement.

“Breaking the world record was never our intention. I’m always baffled by how rides are made so short and quick. I wanted to build rides that last a good few minutes with non-stop smiles and giggles as visitors fly through the rainforest,” Sim Choo Kheng said.

Opening alongside the world’s longest waterslide are two other new attractions, the Tubby Racer and the Hill Rider.

The opening of the new rides is expected to increase visitor numbers at Escape Park, which attracted 185,000 guests in 2018.